Department of Labor June 4, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Mechanical power press safety is regulated under OSHA's mechanical power presses standard. OSHA adopted the standard in 1971, basing it upon the 1971 edition of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B11.1, the industry consensus standard for mechanical power presses. This ANSI standard has been updated a number of times since OSHA adopted the 1971 version. The most recent edition was issued in 2001. Hydraulic and pneumatic power presses are not covered by OSHA's current standard. The original standard also did not address the use of presence-sensing-device initiation (PSDI) systems. When a press is equipped with PSDI, the press cycle will not initiate until the PSDI system senses that the danger zone is clear. OSHA updated the mechanical power presses standard on March 14, 1988, (53 FR 8353), to permit the use of PSDI systems. However, it requires an OSHA-approved third party to validate the PSDI system at installation and annually thereafter. Since the adoption of this provision, no third party has sought OSHA's approval. Consequently, PSDI systems are not being used with mechanical power presses. OSHA is seeking comments on whether and how the mechanical power presses standard should be amended, including whether the requirements pertaining to the use of PSDI systems should be revised and whether the scope of the standard should be expanded to cover other types of presses.